About 9 months ago, I started learning the almost-lost art of canning. Since then, I've helped put up over 500 jars of all kinds of fruits and vegetables from daddy's "Therapy Garden". My favorite thing to make is jellies. After stiring the sugary mixtures, ladling them into hot jars, and adding lids and rings, it's rewarding to look at the different colored jars of product. As the jars cool, the lids begin to make a soft "ping" as they seal.
Tonight, momma and I put up 30 jars of prickly pear jelly. For those who have never heard of it, prickly pears have a fruit on them that is purple. When cooked down, it makes a really pretty purple juice that has a taste something between a berry and a mayhaw. It's great over vanilla ice cream. Mom, while driving around the mail route, picked enough of the fruits to make 4 gallon pickle jars of juice. Each jar makes about 25-30 half-pint jars of jelly.
Tonight, as I dift off to sleep, I'll be listening to the soft sounds of sealing jars... and know that tonight was a job well done!
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